“After expressing the great pleasure the perusal of your notes to the new edition of the Novels had given him, he adds:  ’I wish you would give him a hint of what I formerly mentioned to you regarding my great-grandaunt and your own relative, the unfortunate Bride of Lammermoor.  It was first mentioned to me by Miss Maitland, the daughter of Lady Rothes (they were the nearest neighbours of the Stair family in Wigtownshire), and I afterwards heard the tradition from others in that country.  It was to the following effect, that when, after the noise and violent screaming in the bridal chamber, comparative stillness succeeded, and the door was forced, the window was found open, and it was supposed by many that the lover (Lord Rutherford) had, by the connivance of some of the servants, found means, during the bustle of the marriage feast, to secrete himself within the apartment, and that soon after the entry of the married pair, or at least as soon as the parents and others retreated and the door was made fast, he had come out from his concealment, attacked and desperately wounded the bridegroom, and then made his escape by the window through the garden.  As the unfortunate bride never spoke after having uttered the words mentioned by Sir Walter, no light could be thrown on the matter by them.  But it was thought that Bucklaw’s obstinate silence on the subject favoured the supposition of the chastisement having been inflicted by his rival.  It is but fair to give the unhappy victim (who was by all accounts a most gentle and feminine creature) the benefit of an explanation on a doubtful point.’

“So far my worthy friend, who seems a little jealous of the poor bride’s reputation.  I send you his note, and you can make what you like of it.  I am intending a little jaunt to his country, and we mean to visit sundry old castles in Aberdeenshire, and wish you were of the party.  I have heard nothing of Linton [cognomen for Sir Adam Ferguson] this summer.  I hope you have been passing your time agreeably.—­With best compliments to all friends, I remain, my dear Sir Walter, ever yours,

“WM. CLERK.”

[336] Written by William Mudford, born 1782, died 1848.

[337] Twelfth Night, Act III.  Sc. 4

[338] See Life, vol ix. pp. 325-6.

[339] The last reference in the Journal to his old friend Lady Jane Stuart, who died on the following October.

[340] Now in the rooms of the Royal Society, Edinburgh.

[341] Annals of the Peninsular War. 3 vols. 8vo, 1829.

[342] Memoirs of General Miller in the Service of the Republic of Peru. 2 vols. 8vo, 1829.

[343] Mr. Lockhart had written on June 6:—­“Moore is at my elbow and says he has not the face to bother you, but he has come exactly to the part where your reminiscences of Lord Byron would come in; so he is waiting for a week or so in case they should be forthcoming.”  And Moore himself had previously reminded Sir Walter of his promise.